A Gift
by Countess of Cobert
Summary: *Series 5 spoilers.* Set at the beginning of episode 5.08 following events of 5.07. A gift from Cora to Robert. Written for my wonderful friend.


Cora strolls back into the Abbey rather pleased with herself, a beautiful golden Labrador puppy clutched in her arms. I wonder she thinks what Egyptian goddess her darling husband will choose to name this one after? Since Robert's rather beautiful "'two people that love each other very much'" moment of romance, from a couple of nights previously Cora had been trying to decide how to make it up to her Robert, how to tell him that she was perfectly content with him and that Mr Bricker was most definitely a thing of the past, not that Cora thinks he was ever a thing at all, but Robert thought it was. Isis dying had torn Robert up in every sense of the word, and Cora had been reluctant to kiss him too passionately in bed at night and thus force him into the intimacy she wanted to give into as prove of her unwavering love, but she knew he maybe wasn't craving that when the piece of his heart Isis filled was somewhat still hollow. So, that morning she had taken a trip out and had now returned with her present, a little puppy, desperate for a loving home that Robert would most definitely be willing to give her.

Robert sat in the library at his desk, gazing non committedly at the view out the window. Usually when he paused in his work he'd kneel down and ruffle Isis' fur, but not today. For the last few days Cora had sat and kept him company in the library, either with her book or her own correspondence, in the place of Isis. But today she had swung her legs out of bed and flung open the curtains as soon as he had so much as opened his eyes, proclaiming that she had lots to do and a trip to make that couldn't be delayed. When Robert had asked what it was about Cora hadn't committed to anything, just given blasé comments about 'this and that.' Robert couldn't help worrying after Bricker, what if she was meeting him again? It wasn't as if they'd been over affectionate the last few nights despite his proclamation of his love for her when Isis was laid between them. He'd thought that Cora would be more willing to kiss him and be affectionate with him, but it seemed not. If he was honest he was craving it, he needed to feel her love, he needed to know she loved him, particularly since Isis had died. Cora he knowe is the only person that can understand and fill the hollow feeling in his chest.

Cora ignores the look of disapproval on Carson's face as she trundles up the stairs to her bedroom to remove her coat and hat, the tiny puppy now whimpering in her arms. She wraps the lead around her bedpost while she removes her outer garments before picking up the wiggling golden bundle into her arms and beginning her descent to the library. She tickles the puppy behind the ears as she begins whimpering rather loudly.

"It's alright my dear, I'm sure Robert will hold you and understand you better than I do, and we're going to find him now." Cora's thoughts return to the possible names of this beautiful puppy in her arms, no doubt the Egyptian goddess theme was set to continue. Could it be Wadjet, goddess of protection? Or Tefnut, goddess of water and fertility? Or maybe Hathor goddess of love?

Robert's attention is drawn away from the window to the door as he hears heels in the hall outside. He thinks it's Cora, over the years he has got rather used to the way her heels clip across the floor. Sure enough she enters the room, carrying a bundle in her arms, a moving whimpering bundle. A puppy? No surely she hasn't bought him a replacement for Isis? But then that does sound so like Cora. And the smile on her face says it all.

"What do you think?" She leans over him, the puppy still wriggling in her arms. Robert stands up unable to focus on the puppy with Cora's perfume and hair so close to his nose, filling his senses with a feeling far more intense than his desire to admire a puppy.

"It's beautiful, is it a girl?"

"Yes, of course, how else would you be able to continue your Egyptian goddess naming that you've used since you were a boy?"

"Maybe we could choose the name together?" Cora's heart races, does that mean he's totally forgiven her? Never before has she been allowed to put forward suggestions for the name of his dog.

"Yes, if you're sure, I would like that."

"Cora, tie the puppy to the desk." Robert can't help it, he needs to kiss her, he needs to prove to her that the other night wasn't just words, he did really mean it, and he doesn't feel like he can do that with a dog crandled in her arms. Cora obeys, unsure why Robert's being so blunt. Does he not like the puppy?

"Do you not like the puppy?"

"Of course, I love her, she's beautiful. I think perhaps we should call her Hathor, goddess of love. She is a gift bought as an act of love I believe."

"Yes, she was. I know how much you loved Isis and I wanted you to have another four legged companion." The ways her eyes twinkle drives Robert mad. He steps towards her, and wraps his arms around her waist.

"I have a perfect companion already, and she is far,f ar more beautiful than any four legged companion, or any other woman for that matter. You, my dearest one, are stunning. I'm not sure you believed me the other night when I said I loved you. But I do Cora, I love you." Cora's heart stutters, did he just say he wasn't sure she believed him? She wraps her arms around his neck and draws circles in the hair at the knapp of his neck, just as she has done since they married. It used to give her confidence running her hands through his hair in the early years, but after that it just became a habit that she knows he likes.

"Darling, I knew that you meant it. I just didn't want to launch myself at you when you were so upset about Isis. Honestly, it wasn't that I didn't want to kiss you and make love to you but I didn't think the moment was right. I'm sorry if I worried you. If it makes you feel any better, I have a few free hours this afternoon, and the girls are out. We could be really naughty and spend the whole day in our bedroom like we occasionally did when we were younger." Robert smiles, a grin covering his face.

"That sounds wonderful. But first I think I need to hear you say you love me, so I have an excuse to kiss you in the bright and very public library otherwise my mother will have a fit about 'kissing in the middle of the day'." It's Cora's turn to grin now.

"You have always been good at compromising. I love you, so much darling." He kisses her then and she can't remember the last time it felt so good, the last time he kissed her so passionately, with so much love. She opens her mouth to him, and the moment his tongue slips inside she gasps, her hands pulling him towards her before they move to his shoulders pushing his jacket from them. The wonderful sensation in her mouth abruptly ends and is replaced by a mouthful of air. Her eyes meet Robert's very dark ones.

"Cora, we should go upstairs." She nods and takes his offered hand.

"We should say 'I love you' more often, you know"

"Why?"

"Because it gives us an excuse to kiss like that." Robert laughs and encircles her waist, preventing her from moving, he kisses the back of her neck and then behind her ear before lifting her into his arms.

* * *

><p>AN: I'm not sure about this one particularly the ending, written rather quickly, so please, please review!<p>

Also, I would like to say that the inspiration came from a friend, not a watcher of the show but someone I tell her the whole plot summary of every episode to (she does the same for shows she watches but I don't). After I gave her a rundown on 5.07 she said "it would be so cute if the last episode started with Cora entering the Abbey with a new dog for Robert." I did ask her permission to write this story, and she is the most wonderful friend so this one was definitely for her! Thanks for reading!


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